Title: Dialogue on Human Evolution - The Value Line
Lesson Overview
This lesson is the first of a five-lesson series on Human Evolution, which will occur shortly after the unit on general evolution. This particular lesson is to spark an interest and dialogue about the subject among the students by using a series of statements. These statements might be classified as true, false, debatable, or a simple matter of opinion. Students will use a value line setup to physically show what they think about each statement, and to see where they're stance might fall within the realm of scientific thought and accepted scientific theories regarding human evolution.
Objectives
The student will apply ideas in the general evolution unit to human evolution.
The student will identify some of their own misconceptions about the theories of human evolution.
Materials
Science Journals
Value Line Powerpoint Presentation
K-W-L Sheets
The lesson will begin, as it usually does, with a science journal prompt. This prompt is meant to activate prior knowledge and get students thinking while the instructor can take attendance and get organized for the class's activities. This particular prompt will read: "Tell me how you think a scientist would explain how modern humans came to be. Where did we come from? Where do you think we are going?" This prompt is intentionally very open-ended so that the instructor can see any myths, misconceptions, misunderstandings, etc. that a student might have. Then a short class discussion directed by the instructor will ensue, based upon the journal prompt, in which students will be asked to share what they wrote and what they are thinking.
Learning Activities
The instructor will begin the activity with a bit of a disclaimer similar to what was used at the beginning of the unit on general evolution: "Evolution is a scientific theory. It isn't meant to go against anyone's personal beliefs; it's simply the explanation that most scientists believe is most plausible for explaining how we got to this point."
Students will be called upon to share what they have written in their journal. While they do this, the instructor will write key words or ideas that might arise from what they share on the board to help keep the discussion focused (for instance, "apes", "monkeys", "Out Of Africa", "Neanderthals", etc.).
Then the instructor will have the students get out of their seats and form a line in the middle of the room facing forward. The instructor will pull up a powerpoint presentation that has several statements on human evolution that might be true, false, debatable, or simply a matter of opinion. Upon reading the statements out, students will move to the right of the room if they believe the statement to be true, to the left if they believe the statement is false, and they can hover in the middle if they are unsure. The instructor will have students explain their reasoning on the statements by asking them questions. The instructor will also give succinct explanations for each of the statements.
Students will return to their seats. The instructor will ask students what, if anything, they were surprised to learn while participating in the value line. After the students share, the instructor will say, "When learning about things like this, it helps to approach a topic with an open mind. People come to certain topics with expectations that can throw them off. Your expectations of what humans might look like in the future may prove to be way off the mark!"
The instructor will then briefly explain the final culminating project of the unit, which will be the X-MEN Project. In this project students will use certain selective pressures to envision what the human being of the future will look like. Students will then complete a K-W-L. This short activity will help them to establish what they know, what they want to know, and what they have learned in the day's lesson so far that will help them complete the project.
Closing
The instructor will then go over the K-W-Ls in a class discussion, focusing specifically on the "Want To Know" and "What I Learned" sections. The students will be asked what the most important things are that they feel they must learn in the future in order to complete the X-MEN Project successfully. One possible answer might include, "What selective pressures will have the greatest effect on human traits?" The instructor will then ask students what, if anything, they were surprised to learn while participating in the value line. The instructor will then assign the homework for this class, which will be to outline section 16.1 in their textbooks. The instructor will explain this assignment as a pre-reading for the next lesson, so that students are better prepared for the next lesson.
Assessment
The instructor will read student journals before the next lesson as formative assessment. The purpose will be to identify any pervasive misunderstandings that students have in order to better instruct the students. The instructor will also use information gathered during the sharing session of the K-W-Ls to better understand where students are in the learning process.
Homework
Students will outline section 16.1 of their textbooks, which deals with primate adaptation and evolution.
RATIONALE:
The practice of outlining the relevant sections in their text was established at the beginning of the year. As this is an advanced science class and most of these students plan to be college bound, the ability to read a text and synthesize pertinent information is an essential study skill. This outline will also serve as a precursor to the next lesson, which deals with some of the content in the textbook.
Unit: Human Evolution
Title: Dialogue on Human Evolution - The Value Line
Lesson Overview
This lesson is the first of a five-lesson series on Human Evolution, which will occur shortly after the unit on general evolution. This particular lesson is to spark an interest and dialogue about the subject among the students by using a series of statements. These statements might be classified as true, false, debatable, or a simple matter of opinion. Students will use a value line setup to physically show what they think about each statement, and to see where they're stance might fall within the realm of scientific thought and accepted scientific theories regarding human evolution.Objectives
The student will apply ideas in the general evolution unit to human evolution.The student will identify some of their own misconceptions about the theories of human evolution.
Materials
Science JournalsValue Line Powerpoint Presentation
K-W-L Sheets
Links to Resources
Value Line Powerpoint PresentationK-W-L Sheet
Safety Issues
None.Instruction
Opening
The lesson will begin, as it usually does, with a science journal prompt. This prompt is meant to activate prior knowledge and get students thinking while the instructor can take attendance and get organized for the class's activities. This particular prompt will read: "Tell me how you think a scientist would explain how modern humans came to be. Where did we come from? Where do you think we are going?" This prompt is intentionally very open-ended so that the instructor can see any myths, misconceptions, misunderstandings, etc. that a student might have. Then a short class discussion directed by the instructor will ensue, based upon the journal prompt, in which students will be asked to share what they wrote and what they are thinking.
Learning Activities
The instructor will begin the activity with a bit of a disclaimer similar to what was used at the beginning of the unit on general evolution: "Evolution is a scientific theory. It isn't meant to go against anyone's personal beliefs; it's simply the explanation that most scientists believe is most plausible for explaining how we got to this point."
Students will be called upon to share what they have written in their journal. While they do this, the instructor will write key words or ideas that might arise from what they share on the board to help keep the discussion focused (for instance, "apes", "monkeys", "Out Of Africa", "Neanderthals", etc.).
Then the instructor will have the students get out of their seats and form a line in the middle of the room facing forward. The instructor will pull up a powerpoint presentation that has several statements on human evolution that might be true, false, debatable, or simply a matter of opinion. Upon reading the statements out, students will move to the right of the room if they believe the statement to be true, to the left if they believe the statement is false, and they can hover in the middle if they are unsure. The instructor will have students explain their reasoning on the statements by asking them questions. The instructor will also give succinct explanations for each of the statements.
Students will return to their seats. The instructor will ask students what, if anything, they were surprised to learn while participating in the value line. After the students share, the instructor will say, "When learning about things like this, it helps to approach a topic with an open mind. People come to certain topics with expectations that can throw them off. Your expectations of what humans might look like in the future may prove to be way off the mark!"
The instructor will then briefly explain the final culminating project of the unit, which will be the X-MEN Project. In this project students will use certain selective pressures to envision what the human being of the future will look like. Students will then complete a K-W-L. This short activity will help them to establish what they know, what they want to know, and what they have learned in the day's lesson so far that will help them complete the project.
Closing
The instructor will then go over the K-W-Ls in a class discussion, focusing specifically on the "Want To Know" and "What I Learned" sections. The students will be asked what the most important things are that they feel they must learn in the future in order to complete the X-MEN Project successfully. One possible answer might include, "What selective pressures will have the greatest effect on human traits?" The instructor will then ask students what, if anything, they were surprised to learn while participating in the value line. The instructor will then assign the homework for this class, which will be to outline section 16.1 in their textbooks. The instructor will explain this assignment as a pre-reading for the next lesson, so that students are better prepared for the next lesson.
Assessment
The instructor will read student journals before the next lesson as formative assessment. The purpose will be to identify any pervasive misunderstandings that students have in order to better instruct the students. The instructor will also use information gathered during the sharing session of the K-W-Ls to better understand where students are in the learning process.
Homework
Students will outline section 16.1 of their textbooks, which deals with primate adaptation and evolution.RATIONALE:
The practice of outlining the relevant sections in their text was established at the beginning of the year. As this is an advanced science class and most of these students plan to be college bound, the ability to read a text and synthesize pertinent information is an essential study skill. This outline will also serve as a precursor to the next lesson, which deals with some of the content in the textbook.
Additional Notes
None.Main Page